Greetings from the July 1st Kitchen-Garden!
Yes, my kitchen-garden has been full of activity the past few weeks. I've spent a lot of time outside working and have been very slow in getting my blog entries published.
Around mid June another succession crop of radishes, carrots and lettuce seeds went in and are all doing well. At this time I also planted 1 slicing and 1 pickling cucumber plant. I companion planted my cucumbers with chamomile and also a "black-eyed susan vine" on the same trellis to add some color. I continue to harvest lots of lettuce, sorrel, peas, parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano. The scarlet runner bean plants are snaking their way up the trellis. The strawberries underneath are pumping out tiny juicy berries. One of my parsley plants from last year has totally gone to seed, and I've let it be because the ladybugs seem to really like. And, I do not want to disturb valuable ladybug habitat.
The last week of June I planted a perennial butterfly garden for Tanya for her birthday. (More about that in another posting) I harvested a bunch of lettuce and mustard greens to make room for the zucchini and yellow patty pan squash plants. At this time I also planted an eggplant and bell pepper in large black plastic containers. I'm hoping this will really heat it up for these heat-lovers that I had no room for in the raised beds.
This was all just in time for the insane 100 day we had on the last Saturday in June. That was a brutal day. I gave the garden a really good soaking that morning at 6am before going to work. The only thing that appeared to freak out in the heat was the cilantro that went 5 feet tall seemingly overnight and bolted.
Today I harvested so many peas. I ended up pulling out all the snow pea plants to make room for the up and coming cucumbers. I'll leave the sugar snap peas in another week or two. We'll see how long they tolerate the heat. And, they need to be removed to make room for the up and coming yellow wax bush beans. I also did a second planting of basil and cilantro.
I've noticed a lot of holes in leaves and upon further investigation found a sack of tiny white eggs under a kale leaf. I think it's cabbage moths AGAIN. So, it's time for another round of BT solution spray. Those little buggers can wipe out everything if kept unchecked.
In happier news I continue to see ladybugs all over my garden. And, the birds still love my yard-bathing in the birdbaths and eating out of the feeders. There are a lot more blue jays this year which is awesome. I was delighted the other morning to open my bedroom shades upon waking to witness a hummingbird devouring the inside of a reddish brown nicotiana flower in the middle of my vegetable bed! The first hummingbird that I've seen this season--I'm so happy!
Due to the suddenly hot weather I've spent more early morning time in the garden watering around 5:30-6am before going to work. One morning I took my tea and sat in the middle of the garden for an hour until 7am. It was a totally quiet time, no neighbors making noise. Just me and the birds. (And, my cat Sashi running around like she was on crack climbing up and down the giant plum tree!) What a beautiful morning that was. It made me realize I need to spend more relaxing times in my garden just BEING not DOING. I got to bird and bug watch. I got more in tune with the slow natural rhythm of my garden and not my hurried waterings, weedings, or plantings. I really got to enjoy the fruit of my gardening labors and appreciate all mother nature has to offer when we slow down enough to breath in deeply and enjoy it all. And, I've decided that 5:30-8am is my favorite time in my garden...
In Peace & Happiness,
Miss Jolie
Yes, my kitchen-garden has been full of activity the past few weeks. I've spent a lot of time outside working and have been very slow in getting my blog entries published.
Around mid June another succession crop of radishes, carrots and lettuce seeds went in and are all doing well. At this time I also planted 1 slicing and 1 pickling cucumber plant. I companion planted my cucumbers with chamomile and also a "black-eyed susan vine" on the same trellis to add some color. I continue to harvest lots of lettuce, sorrel, peas, parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano. The scarlet runner bean plants are snaking their way up the trellis. The strawberries underneath are pumping out tiny juicy berries. One of my parsley plants from last year has totally gone to seed, and I've let it be because the ladybugs seem to really like. And, I do not want to disturb valuable ladybug habitat.
The last week of June I planted a perennial butterfly garden for Tanya for her birthday. (More about that in another posting) I harvested a bunch of lettuce and mustard greens to make room for the zucchini and yellow patty pan squash plants. At this time I also planted an eggplant and bell pepper in large black plastic containers. I'm hoping this will really heat it up for these heat-lovers that I had no room for in the raised beds.
This was all just in time for the insane 100 day we had on the last Saturday in June. That was a brutal day. I gave the garden a really good soaking that morning at 6am before going to work. The only thing that appeared to freak out in the heat was the cilantro that went 5 feet tall seemingly overnight and bolted.
Today I harvested so many peas. I ended up pulling out all the snow pea plants to make room for the up and coming cucumbers. I'll leave the sugar snap peas in another week or two. We'll see how long they tolerate the heat. And, they need to be removed to make room for the up and coming yellow wax bush beans. I also did a second planting of basil and cilantro.
I've noticed a lot of holes in leaves and upon further investigation found a sack of tiny white eggs under a kale leaf. I think it's cabbage moths AGAIN. So, it's time for another round of BT solution spray. Those little buggers can wipe out everything if kept unchecked.
In happier news I continue to see ladybugs all over my garden. And, the birds still love my yard-bathing in the birdbaths and eating out of the feeders. There are a lot more blue jays this year which is awesome. I was delighted the other morning to open my bedroom shades upon waking to witness a hummingbird devouring the inside of a reddish brown nicotiana flower in the middle of my vegetable bed! The first hummingbird that I've seen this season--I'm so happy!
Due to the suddenly hot weather I've spent more early morning time in the garden watering around 5:30-6am before going to work. One morning I took my tea and sat in the middle of the garden for an hour until 7am. It was a totally quiet time, no neighbors making noise. Just me and the birds. (And, my cat Sashi running around like she was on crack climbing up and down the giant plum tree!) What a beautiful morning that was. It made me realize I need to spend more relaxing times in my garden just BEING not DOING. I got to bird and bug watch. I got more in tune with the slow natural rhythm of my garden and not my hurried waterings, weedings, or plantings. I really got to enjoy the fruit of my gardening labors and appreciate all mother nature has to offer when we slow down enough to breath in deeply and enjoy it all. And, I've decided that 5:30-8am is my favorite time in my garden...
In Peace & Happiness,
Miss Jolie
No comments:
Post a Comment